I got this idea one day when I was, well, running. I didn't realize it would make a good story idea till just know. Dally is a dangerous character. I hope you like it. I certainly do.

Chapter one

Have you ever ran? I don't mean in gym class or playing tag with a bunch of friends. I mean ran. Have you ever just got fed up with it? Did you just want to escape it? I have. I still can see those hating icy blue eyes and that scream. That scream that called out my name " Ivy". I was almost there too. I'm not sure where I was going to go, but I knew I had to go somewhere.

Those ice blue eyes will never leave me as he came running down the street like a shooting bullet. I have to say, I never felt as scared as I did right then. My legs became petrified. I jumped aside to the grass thinking maybe I could dodge him. But no. His body came in contact with mine and I fell in the grass.

" I don't have time for this," he said as he grabbed my wrists and pulled me up. I struggled to get away, but he just tightened his grip.

" Let go," I said.

" No. If you do, you will just run again."

" No, I won't." But he wouldn't listen. He dragged me back to the house. I saw a lady walking next us going the opposite direction. I thought about screaming for help. But I couldn't. Something told me not to. I knew he wouldn't like it.

It was dark outside. The streetlight illuminated his eyes and I was scared.

" Does this again and no food for a month," he said as we entered his apartment. He opened the door to my bedroom and through me inside it.

" Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes and better be on your best behavior. We have company tonight."

" Okay," I said, but more like screamed. He shut the door and I could hear his footsteps echo through the small apartment.

I sat on the bed and buried my head in arms. I wanted to cry. I did. I wiped away my tears.

" Don't cry," I said to myself. Crying would show mercy, and that my friend, was something I didn't want to show.

" Ivy," He called from the kitchen. " Time for dinner."

I slowly got up. I slowly opened the door. I slowly walked to the dinning room table. I saw a girl there. She was probably in her forties. He was always the one for older women. Sick.

" Hello," she said.

" Hi," I said back.

" Ivy, this Eve. Eve, this is Ivy," He introduced us. " Do you want some lemonade?"

" No thanks," Eve said. " I got some really good whiskey."

I stifled a giggle. I had put some soap in his whiskey bottle before hand. She was probably drunk…on soap.

He went into the kitchen and returned with a plat of who knows what. He thinks he's a good cook, but he sucks at cooking.

" Smells good," Eve said.

" I spent all day at the stove making this," He smiled while dishing out the stuff on the plate.

Everything went okay, I guess. Then we got into an argument. I can't even remember what it was about. But it ended when I stormed out of the room. I went to my room and crawled under the bed. I heard his footsteps o the floor.

" Your acting ridiculous," he shouted. I didn't say anything.

" Don't cry," I thought to myself. " Don't scream or shout or raise a fit."

" Get out now."

" I will," I said.

" Okay. I'm going back out. You better be joining me in a few minutes."

" Okay."

I sat there for a few more minutes to make sure he was gone. I got out from under the bead and walked into the living room.

" I'm sorry," I said to him, " For causing a scene."

" That's okay," he said, " I will forgive you."

End of Flashback

" Hey, kid are you okay?" Dally's voice cut into my thoughts.

" Yeah, Dal, I'm okay," I said. It had been almost a year since that night.

" Where's Johnny?"

" I don't know," I said as I looked around. " Somewhere around here. Who am I? My brother's keeper?"

" I don't know, Kid," he laughed. Johnny was my half brother. We had the shared the same mother, but not the same father. I used to live with my father. When he died, I went to live with my mother and Johnny. I hadn't been too close to my brother. Till my dad died, Johnny was just a name. Now that was different. Now, Johnny was like my lifeline. He was my big brother. He was three and a half years older than me. I was twelve, but I would soon be thirteen. Dally kind of watched out for me.

I looked at my skin. It wasn't dark like Johnny's, but it wasn't exactly pale either. It looked like I had spent a day out in the sun and received a good tan. My hair was dark like Johnny's, but my eyes were a strange greenish bluish color. And my name was Ivy. I didn't share my last name with Johnny. My last name was Mason, which I wasn't proud to bear.

" Come on kid," Dally said. " Let's get out of here."

I got up and followed Dally down the road. I looked around for Johnny but I couldn't find him.

" Hey, Ya'll," A voice, said. I turned around and Johnny was standing right there.

" Hey, Johnny," I said. We continued walking down the road. In the distance I could see a group of socs gathered around somebody. I felt sorry for whom ever they were jumping. When I got closer, I saw that it was Ponyboy. Dally started to heave rocks at them and Two-bit and Steve showed up. Soda and Darry came running to the scene. I tuned them out and stepped back a little.

" Speaking of movies," I heard Dally say, " I was thinking about heading over to the nightly double. Does anyone want to go?"

" Me and Johnny will go," Pony said.

" I don't know, Pony," Johnny said, a little uneasy. " I don't want to leave Ivy alone."

" That's okay," I spoke up. " Your old man has been laying off me."

We all knew that I got it worse than Johnny because I wasn't Mr. Cade's kid. But he had been laying off me lately.

" Don't worry, I'll baby sit the kid," Two-bit said as he stepped forward.

" Okay," Johnny said.

That night, Johnny went with Ponyboy to the movies and I stayed home with Two-bit, but he couldn't stay in.

" Hey, kid, I'm going to see how Johnny and Pony are doing," Two-bit said after not to long. " You just stay here and watch TV or something."

" Okay."

Two-bit left and I watched reruns of I Love Lucy. Before I knew it, I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up when Darry walked in from work. I sat up.

" Hey, Kid," Darry said. " Where's Two-bit?"

" I don't know," I said. " He left a little while ago."

" Okay."

" I think I'm going to go home. Johnny should be there by now."

" No, It's getting late," Darry, said. " Just stay here until morning."

" Okay," I said. I laid my head back down on the couch and before I knew it, I was asleep again.

" She must be exhausted," I heard a far off voice say.

" Why don't you take her into your room to sleep?" anther voice asked.

" Okay."

I felt some hands pick me up and carry. I was gently lowered into a bed. I felt someone take my shoes off and cover with a blanket.

A scream jolted me awake. I sat up and I heard a scream come from the other room.

" Well, it's three 'o clock in the morning, Kiddo," Somebody yell. Some more shouts and scream and I heard someone being thrown against the wall. A door slammed and I was out again. The only thing I could about was that I hated cough medicine.

I shall stop there, but no worries. I shall return soon, I hope. I hope you liked that because I do. I like reviews. I hate cough medicine. I took some and I'm getting really tired and it's not even 10:00 yet.

Forever and always

Blame it on the government